Nestled in a national forest 20 miles southwest of Paris lies the sleepy village of St. Lambert-des-Bois with its typical stone residences and its picturesque 12^th century chapel. Several years ago the Assumptionists were asked to replace a small Benedictine community that some 60 years ago built a lovely retreat and conference center.

It was in this setting that the Assumptionist Plenary General Council/PGC (the superior general, his team, and the six provincials of the congregation) held their semi-annual meeting. During these meetings the PGC discusses any number of recurring topics: openings and closings of houses, the first assignments of newly ordained priests, an evaluation of the mobilizing works of the congregation (such as Assumption College and Bayard Press), the financial state of the congregation, and relations with lay partners. There are in addition to these topics a series of others which touch on the ongoing life of the institute.

At the most recent meeting the members of the PGC spent significant time reflecting on the Near Eastern Mission (Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, and Israel). The first Assumptionist, Fr. Victorin Galabert, arrived three in 1862. It was to aid this mission that Fr. d'Alzon, the founder of the Assumptionists, founded another order, the Oblate Sisters of the Assumption in 1865, the sesquicentenary of which will be celebrated next year. These sisters work side by side with their brother Assumptionists in every community in the Near Eastern Mission except Athens. Therefore, whatever discussion about the future of this mission takes place it must include both parties.

Fr. Victorin Galabert, A.A.

Another topic which merited significant attention was the new Way of Life approved for Lay Assumptionists. This Way of Life, the product of some three years of work by an international committee of lay Assumptionists and religious, now offers lay Assumptionists throughout the world a framework for their collaboration with the Assumptionists and a concrete way to commit themselves to the Assumptionist spirituality. The Way of Life, based on the Assumptionist Rule of Life, covers such aspects of one's commitment as prayer, community, and apostolic life.